I’ve brought this up previously on a THS “live chat” and hope I’m not the only one that feels this way. I find the availability calendar not “user friendly” but rather laborous. I’d rather be able to click on the dates I’m not available than the go through the entire year clicking on dates I am available. I’ve had a problem with this from the beginning and I consider myself fairly computer savvy 
Find it very frustrating! Interested to know what others think.
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I agree, and why does it leave dates that are past? Obviously we are not still available last month!
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yes the option to just be able to fill in a calendar with the days on which you are unavailable would be a lot easier and maybe tag on a comment in the accompanying section that will help anyone searching
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I agree entirely. It is that onerous that I don’t bother anymore. This may cause problems for HOs when searching so maybe the site can change the programme to be more user friendly as others have suggested
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Hi @Globetrotter moving this conversation to Feedback & Ideas for the product team …
Thank you
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Agreed… so much so that I don’t bother using it…
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This is one of our biggest pet peeves. As full-time sitters we have a very open calendar with lots of availability so like you have to go through all the dates - I guess its designed more for sitters who only housesit occasionally.
Also on the availability calendar dates are crossed out (if we are on a sit), some are highlighted (dates we are available) and some are just blank. Not sure why the dates that are blank aren’t just crossed off too, it just adds to the confusion of which dates we are free for.
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I totally agree this is an onerous task which I avoid if possible. So much easier to just mark your unavailabilty like other sites use.
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On a related note, I’d like to be able to choose a continent I’m interested in instead of having to list every single country (if I want).
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I totally agree with you and also wish that THS would automatically block off your calendar when you accept a sit through THS, just like when you book an Airbnb, the property’s availability changes.
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Hi Southernsitter.
When you have confirmed a sit your calendar is automatically updated to show the following:
- If the calendar is coloured in blue/green, then the sitter is available.
- If the calendar is white, then the sitter is unavailable
- If the calendar is white and the dates are struck through, the sitter is confirmed on a sit across those dates
If this is not happening would you be able to send us over screenshots of the issue to support@trustedhousesitters.com
Kind regards,
Katie
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Great - thanks Angela and to everyone who provided feedback.
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Totally agree - it annoyed me so much I didn’t bother using it
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Is there any way to mark ourselves unavailable?
Thanks
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I want to know who is using this at all? The idea that the usual HO search for a Sitter via the Sitter search function, checks the availability, reads the profile, writes an invitation, and hopes he will find the perfect sitter sounds like a Disney Movie. I think it is too much effort for an HO. It is easier for him/her to upload his/her sit and wait for applications with the knowledge that the applicants really want to come. If I were an HO, I would not use that. That’s why I don’t maintain my calendar.
Those who have other experience should tell us why we sitter should put the effort in to maintain our calendar.
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I update my calendar cuz it’s not too hard to do for the way we travel, but I don’t think it’s ever had an effect on our sits. We get invited for local sits sometimes which we always decline, but haven’t had invites to sit in Europe yet, unless it’s for someone we’ve already sat for.
So I agree, I would assume most HO post the sit and wait to see who applies.
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We tried to maintain the calendar for a while but as I mentioned when I created this topic - it was just too much work. We have on a few occasions though, been invited to do a sit when we weren’t available and the homeowners asked why we hadn’t indicated that in our calendar. These were sits that were repeat sits that the homeowners just asked us to do so didn’t appear in our availability calendar.
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Hi Jackie.
As this post described we currently have the calendar set up for you to add your available dates, therefore by default the dates you don’t select, you are unavailable.
For example, you are available from March 5th to March 20th and then again April 5th to April 20th - this will show as green, available. The dates between are March 21st to April 4th, there will be the same calendar colour, white, to show you as unavailable.
Kind regards,
Katie
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Not user friendly and I don’t bother now
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Hi Annette, so pleased to hear I’m not the only one who feels the same about the calendar. We joined 2016 and that calendar has always been a problem, I thought it was just me! I’ve mentioned many times to support that I couldn’t seem to get to grips with it. They always agree and say it will be changed but apparently it’s still the same. Tbh I’ve not bothered using it for some time now as it was just too much trouble. Marion
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